Today we conclude our questions with the second candidate running for the two seats on the Board of Education up for election on May 19th. The Huletts Current submitted the following questions to each candidate running for the school board. I explained to each candidate that I would run their answers as the they submitted them on the Huletts Current.
Could you please tell us about yourself and why you are running for the school board?
The Town of Dresden pays a high percentage of the taxes to finance the school budget (around 50%) while having only approximately 10% of the students in the school district. What specific steps will you advocate that will decrease school taxes?
Residents of Huletts Landing feel their concerns regarding rising taxes are not being heard. Would you be willing to attend a meeting in the summer at Huletts Landing to listen to the concerns of seasonal residents there who pay a proportionally large share of the school budget?
Are you in favor of academic, behavioral and/or attendance probation that will deny students the ability to participate in interscholastic or after-school activities who are failing, exhibit behavioral problems and/or who refuse to attend school regularly?
For the past several years, the Whitehall School District has run budget surpluses that are placed in special reserve accounts after approval by the voters to be spent later with voter approval. Will you vote to return any of these budget surpluses to the taxpayers in the form of reduced taxes if elected? Does this indicate a problem with the budgeting process to be consistently over-budget every year?
Today we present how Mr. Jim Huntington, the current school board president and candidate for the school board, replied to our questions.
Dear Mr. Kapusinski:
I have received your letter dated April 18, 2009. Thank you for your interest in my position as a candidate for the Whitehall Central School Board. I do appreciate your interest in my views as a candidate, however at this time, I feel that as a sitting Board member, I would be overstepping my position to attend a meeting in Huletts without the full consent of my fellow Board members whom I would be representing. As President of the Board, it is my duty to represent the consensus of the board in each area that is questioned. If I stated my opinion, without asking for Board approval, I do not feel that I would be fairly representing the School Board.
Yes, I am a resident of Dresden and I am proud to have lived here all of my life and to have raised my three children here. Now, I am a representative of not only the people of Dresden, but I am a representative for all of the residents of the Whitehall School District. All students, no matter whether they reside in Dresden, Hampton or Whitehall are my concern. I do not favor any one over the other. They are all important to me as they should be.
I am proud of the fact that the Whitehall School Board, the Administration and the entire staff continually consider the needs of our School Community and learning environment. In the present economy, there is a delicate balance in providing for the education for all of our students and the funds needed to sustain the high level of education, which is provided to our students. We, as a Board, strive to meet government mandates in a way that keeps costs as low as possible and at the same time provide a meaningful education that will ensure success to all students.
Mr. Kapusinski, I acknowledge that we share the same concerns in this educational process. That is why I became an involved taxpayer. I, as I’m sure you do, want to provide our children with an education that will help to ensure them a successful and productive future. At the same time, the School Board is acutely aware of the cost burden put upon the taxpayers. These are tough decisions and we certainly try to make decisions that benefit the majority and still stay within New York Department of Education mandates.
As always, the Board of Education meets on the third Monday of every month. We would gladly listen to any concerns and comments whenever they are presented.
Sincerely,
Jim Huntington